A little over a year ago I decided to add a few summer art shows to my schedule.  This was something I was considering for a little while as another outlet to show my personal work and 2010 was a good time to add it to my business plan.  One of the considerations in my decision process was having an inventory available for art shows due to my gallery. There are many start-up costs you will have as you start art shows and inventory is one of those costs not only during start-up but also the duration of your art show career.  With the gallery I rotate artists every month or two, so there are periods when my work is available for other venues.

You may want to consider doing art shows to gain exposure, allow for networking, meet potential clients for commission work, or see it as a way to travel the country however the main reason to do art shows should be to make money.  If your goal is not to make money then you should consider a different method to get your work out to a large audience, as it will cost less and take likely take less time then an art show.

Hopefully you haven’t been scared off and are still considering art shows. The next step is to do your research and consider what work you will be showing.  The last time you walked through an art show, do you remember the types of work you saw in your medium?  In the case of photography there was most likely a handful of nature photographers.  If this is your primary focus, will you be able to compete with the other nature photographers out there and what will make your work different then them?  You may want to consider a portfolio review before committing to doing art shows as well.  We all have people who love our work, but your family (sorry Mom & Dad) will not be the ones at the event buying your art.

Have a mentioned enough this is a huge investment in time and money, so be sure to answer the following questions before you commit to art shows:

1. Determine why you would like to do art shows and if there is another method which may work better to reach your goal.
2. Ask the question, why should people purchase your work. What is unique and different to others about your art?
3. Have someone else (who is not a friend or family member) review your work and provide feedback. You want to have great images and a cohesive body of work prior to moving forward.

Once you have answered these questions you should know if art shows are right for you and your work.  Check back tomorrow, as I will cover planning for a season of art shows and finding art shows right for your work.